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Methods and devices for interbody spinal stabilization

Methods and devices for interbody spinal stabilization description/claims

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/363,122, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/706,789 filed on Nov. 12, 2003, now abandoned, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/918,332, filed on Jul. 30, 2001, now abandoned, and each of the referenced applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates generally to instruments and devices for spinal surgery, more particularly to methods and devices for spinal disc space preparation and interbody spinal stabilization.

There are prior art interbody devices that are fabricated prior to implantation and then inserted into the patient's spinal disc space during surgery. It is also known to insert one or more pre-fabricated devices from anterior, antero-lateral, lateral, postero-lateral, transforaminal, posterior, posterior mid-line or any other known approach to the disc space. These pre-fabricated devices can require the surgeon to modify the interbody device, the vertebral bodies, and/or the vertebral endplates to achieve a desired fit between the spinal anatomy and the interbody device. While some pre-fabricated devices can be modified before and during surgery by the surgeon, this is a time consuming task and also does not always result in a desired or optimum fit with the natural or altered spinal anatomy. Further, the various approaches and instruments required to insert pre-fabricated devices can be invasive and traumatic to the nervature, vasculature, and tissue between the skin and the disc space.

What is therefore needed are methods and devices for providing interbody devices in a disc space between vertebral bodies that allow the surgeon to achieve a desired or optimum fit between the device and the natural or altered spinal anatomy. What is also needed are devices and methods for preparing a disc space for an interbody device while minimizing invasion into the tissue between the skin and the subject disc space. What is further needed are improved devices and methods for performing spinal surgery. What is also needed are methods and devices for providing interbody fusion utilizing minimally invasive approaches and instruments. The present invention is directed toward meeting these needs, among others.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a form positionable in a spinal disc space and an interbody device made from material that has a first condition allowing placement around the form and in contact with the vertebral endplates and thereafter the material has a second condition that provides structural support between the endplates.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a distractor for a disc space that has a reduced-size configuration for insertion into a disc space and an enlarged configuration for distracting the disc space and for defining a void between the enlarged portion and the inner wall of the disc space annulus.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a spinal disc space distractor provides an intradiscal form around which an interbody device is placed.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a spinal disc space distractor having an enlargeable portion is provided.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a spinal disc space distractor having an enlargeable portion with upper and lower vertebral endplate contact surfaces with predetermined areas is provided.

According to another aspect of the invention, a surgeon inserts a distractor in a spinal disc space and places a first material around the distractor and between the vertebral endplates. When the first material cures, the distractor is withdrawn and a second material is placed in the disc space in the space that was occupied by the distractor.

According to a further aspect of the invention, multiple distractors having enlargeable distracting portions are inserted in the disc space to form a void for receiving a first material According to another aspect of the invention, a disc space is bi-laterally distracted by inserting an enlargeable portion of a first distractor at a first lateral disc space location and an enlargeable portion of a second distractor at a second lateral disc space location. Scoliosis can be addressed by providing the enlargeable portions with different distraction heights.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a spinal disc space distractor having an enlargeable portion of a predetermined shape is provided. The predetermined shape is selected from one of the following: vertically-oriented cylinder, horizontally-oriented cylinder, sphere, cylindrical center portion with frusto-conical tapered ends; banana-shaped, and pear shaped.

These and other aspects, forms, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the illustrated embodiments.

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